The Indicator | January 16th, 2026

Beverage brands, including non-alcoholic options, are pivoting New Year marketing from strictly demonizing alcohol to promoting “Damp January”, balance and mindful drinking, to align with year-round moderation trends. Brands like Athletic Brewing, rebranding to “Athletic January” for flexible participation, and Recess, which promotes “Perfection is a terrible New Year’s Resolution” and notes its drinks are weeknight wine alternatives, are increasing campaign spending. Both brands are focusing promotions and large-scale advertising around “Quitters’ Day” (the second weekend of January) to reach consumers in social and retail settings. (Modern Retail) 

The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics is a major marketing opportunity. Brands like EA7 Emporio Armani, Ralph Lauren, and Lululemon are designing team uniforms, while Salomon outfits volunteers, emphasizing luxury and national identity. Functional gear is also key: Nike has the Therma-FIT Air Milano jacket, Figs provides medical uniforms, and Dagsmejan offers recovery sleepwear. Additionally, companies like Chubbies, J.Crew, and Skims are engaging in a lifestyle play through fan collections and loungewear focused on rest and recovery. (Modern Retail) 

TikTok drives significant fashion and beauty sales, requiring strong inventory planning for viral moments, as demonstrated by Pacsun‘s 11,000 unit sale of one jean SKU from a low-follower post. Even brands like Tecovas, which skip TikTok Shop, use the platform for brand awareness and customer acquisition through methodical influencer strategies. With TikTok Shop U.S. sales up over 400%, brands such as Tarte Cosmetics have seen success, with Tarte earning $5 million in one month from a single product by curating a smaller product assortment. (Glossy)

Amazon showed off Bee, an AI wearable (pin/bracelet) that the company acquired at CES, positioning it as an out-of-home AI companion distinct from the in-home focus of Alexa. Bee’s main function is to record, transcribe, and summarize conversations (meetings, interviews), learning from interactions and linked services. Developers are optimistic about its potential, despite past Alexa wearable struggles, citing its deeply engaging design and Alexa integration. (Tech Crunch)

Walmart is expanding its strategy of integrating with leading AI platforms to meet consumer needs for shopping inspiration and time-saving. The retailer announced a new partnership with Google, using its Gemini AI to simplify shopping discovery and purchasing. This follows a similar agreement Walmart made in October with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. (CNBC)

While AI is a major focus for retailers in 2026, REI is stressing the enduring value of its human employees, the “green vests”. According to the CEO, AI makes transactions super easy and personalized experiences table stakes, the brands that will win are those that build emotional connections. REI is also extending this human connection digitally by featuring employees on product pages, which has resulted in a conversion lift. (Retail Dive)